


Borrow Some Sunshine

by LiviaWavern14



Category: VIXX
Genre: Also Hakyeon is a mom, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Developing Friendships, Dick Jokes, Fluff and Humor, Gen, I'm weak for platonicly infatuated RaKen and slightly unsure Ravi, Musical References, POV Alternating, Rain, Re: the humor tag "You keep using that word. I do not believe it means what you think it means", References as usual because I cannot be funnier than these dorks are, Scones, Stand Up Comedy, Water Themes, but one is canon and the other is inspired by Victor Borge so don't flay me please?, i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2019-10-20 16:26:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17625743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiviaWavern14/pseuds/LiviaWavern14
Summary: Wonshik has a journey filled with:1. questionable humor2. questionable impressions3. best-friends4. best-mothering/brothering-friends-who-frequently-but-not-always-make-fun-of-his-soft-nature5. lots of giftsand 6. a quandary: Should he buy Jaehwan the fox, sloth, or llama tissue box?





	1. Man meets doorframe

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be three or four parts, haven't decided, but for now it's going to be three. I do have more material already written, but I like this as is and wanted to post it and see the response. I'm pretty busy, so I'm hoping to make writing for this my "relaxing time". Cause of course writing is clearly just the most calming thing evaaar.
> 
> *sirens wailing in the background*
> 
> Also, forgive me, but I am not a comedienne *looks at fics* clearly. I have never written stand up, so it'll remain a work in progress.

The rain hasn’t stopped yet, and despite only a block to travel from bus stop to building, you wonder if your shoes will be ruined every time you forget to check the weather. So far, you’re two for two, but with three frigid months to the end of the year, you have plenty of time to make it worse.

 

Pushing your hand against the icy metal of the door handle, the door jams and protests.

 

Wh- Ah, pull, right.

 

You edge inside, though the entryway is only moderately warmer than the clammy air outdoors. Shaking out your jacket on the tiled floor generally is looked down upon, but you’d rather get the water off on the entry mat than inside wherever this café is. It’s hard to remove water droplets precisely onto a mat half your size and the water beads make waves of sound on the ground with each flap of the synthetic material of your jacket. You contemplate putting the jacket back on but decide to leave it off to dry. Holding it out to the side to continue dripping, you pound your shoes on the rubber, but grumble slightly about the water that’s already reached your long socks.

 

Somewhat drier, but still cold, you pull your phone from a front jean pocket with your free hand. Not wet, thankfully, you access the text from your older best friend. Straight from the door, first door on the left. Got it. The phone goes back in your jeans.

 

When you finally step through the inner door, you lightly trip over the doorframe. Saved by your instincts that prevented you from falling on your face, you still feel the acute embarrassment of the mistake. You wonder if anyone saw that.

 

In fact a moderately-sized group of people did, but they saw a tall man with tattoo-bearing arms and a wide-eyed stare look sheepish and adorable while holding a black windbreaker like a precious plushie. They then put it out of their mind and forget about it. Some time in the future you will be trying to sleep after being awake for 31 hours and remember the trip like a very present and important event. You are the only one who bothers to remember.

 

You pull your beanie further down your forehead in an attempt at self-diversion and spot your best friends at a table by the café window. Both Hakyeon and Hongbin are discussing something very seriously, but as you get closer, you realize Hakyeon is the one making it seem austere. Hongbin looks like he’s facing a firing line.

 

“I just don’t understand! Why is it so important to know about these stupid flower waters?!”

 

“Hongbin, ‘oatmeal’ and ‘soap’ are not acceptable answers to what your favorite perfume is!”

 

You let out a quiet breath as you walk up to them, Hongbin turning his head toward you at your approach. In his silent plea for aid, his eyes go near-bugged and he looks incredibly done. You laugh and push his shoulder lightly to shunt him further into the booth, jacket thrown in unceremoniously beside Hakyeon to his vocal protest.

 

“Scootch over Hongbinnie! Hyung and I are here to educate you”

 

* * *

 

Jaehwan watched the two squabbling men become a friendly party of three from his little side table off-stage, and turned his attention back to his assignment. Graduate school was kicking his ass, but at least it was still in a subject he loved.

 

Seeking music as a career wasn’t the most rational of decisions for Jaehwan, but he had been passionate about singing for as long as he’d ever been alive. At least, if his mother was to be believed. She frequently told him that any time she started humming or singing him to sleep, he refused to be swayed; instead, he would attempt to join in.

 

His eldest brother says his own experience indicated a set of pipes for screaming rather than singing when Jaehwan refused to sleep as an infant.

 

“Ken, twenty minutes to. Get ready”

 

Jaehwan put away his music theory assignment (a hollow victory as his comp assignment wasn’t going to kick his ass any less later into the night) and spared a small glance to the happy trio by the rain-speckled window. _The “Rainy Night” Set_ _then_ _? Wonder how they’ll take it._ Jaehwan shrugged at the thought and buoyed himself. _They l_ _ike it,_ _they_ _stay, or_ _they_ _hate it and leave. I can at least try and make them laugh_ _once before they go_ _._ Jaehwan smiled slightly to himself as he opened the door to the staff room.

 

 _Time to crack out the mosquito and country dog_ _._

 

* * *

 

Wonshik had taken his phone out to look at the time, but got completely distracted by his sister’s text. So when he was about to put his phone back into his pocket, he mentally smacked himself and actually looked at the clock. He frowned. “Hey Hongbin-ah, hyung, isn’t there supposed to be a popular live singer at this café? Who performs at, like, 6:00? Cause it’s already 59”

 

Hongbin looked up slightly to the right and pursed his lips in thought, before shaking his head slightly at Wonshik’s question. Hakyeon, on the other hand, nodded confidently.

 

The other two looked to him for clarification like confused rabbits. The eldest sighed slightly. “You two are such social media isolates I swear. And yes, Shikkie,” Hakyeon placated before Wonshik could argue, “I know you go on social media, but you don’t pay attention much to circles outside your own or your interests. He’s known for being a third comedian, third singer, third visual, and half-cutie.”

 

A short silence. “Hyung, you really can’t add”

 

Hakyeon gave the offending dongsaeng the stink eye and a righteous neck chop. Wonshik laughed, despite only catching the mistake a bit after Hongbin’s gibe.

 

Sudden cheers and claps from the front of the room put off any additional questions or acts of retribution. The tables closest to the stage began to welcome the (obviously well-liked and familiar) man coming on, leading the rest of the room into doing the same. The man was a fairly average height, but seemed to have a genuine and gummy smile in place as he set up the microphone stand.

 

“Hyung, not to question your resources and information, but this is a man who does not seem like he could get away with a cutie-concept?”

 

Hakyeon brought his lips together tightly, before responding quickly over the cheers, “Ya! Lee Hongbin, a little respect for your elders. ‘Hidden depths’. Also, Sandeul-ah is not the singer tonight”. The man in question greeted the audience with a wave and a theatrical bow. “Though he’s also absolutely amazing. Let’s sit here quietly for the next few minutes, please and thank you”

 

* * *

Junghwan, only vaguely aware of the scrutiny that comes from a life onstage, looked out to the decent crowd for a Thursday night. He spoke into the microphone with happiness, “Good evening everyone!”

 

The regulars chorused back a, “Good evening, Sandeulie-oppa”, which remained an odd shock to his system. _Stage names are always a bit confusing_ , he thought to himself, playing it off with a joke, “Everyone, I’m afraid I can’t hear you! Have I lost your love already? I said, good evening~!”

 

The regulars, and many of the new patrons laughed and chorused louder, “Good evening Sandeul-sshi- oppa-hyung-nim,” revealing a greater audience participation than before.

 

* * *

 

Wonshik noticed, and made a face of acknowledgment. “He knows how to build up the crowd. Is Sandeul hi-”

 

His question was cut off by Hakyeon’s soft and well manicured hand, though obviously said softness was not on Wonshik’s list of priorities when used to smack the younger over the mouth.

 

* * *

 

Junghwan feigned a sigh complete with full-body slump, before stating, “We have time to work on it everyone. Take notes,” Junghwan jabbed gently, to the audience’s good humor. He decided to ramp up the crowd a little bit more, knowing that his same-age friend was watching from behind the curtain now, prepared to jump in at any moment. “Are you all ready to hear a honey-like voice?”

 

A scattered chorus of yes’s from the young female regulars in the front.

 

“A powerful voice that sings like a lark?”, Junghwan asked with a hand cupping his ear.

 

“Yes!”

 

He pushed a tiny bit more, “A voice attached to a funny, cute-”

 

“Yah! Sandeulie!”

 

* * *

 

Wonshik jerked and then cowered under Hakyeon’s hand, first from the sudden high-pitched shout, then from the large response from the patrons in the café. The “kyaah”s and “cute~”s were devastating in both pitch and intensity. _I see why hyung said he’s famous_ , Wonshik thought dazedly at the noise. Hakyeon, seeing the twisted expressions on his friend’s face, laughed and helpfully covered the younger man’s ears instead for a second or two.

 

The man that jumped out from the side-curtains was a bit taller than the presenter and the pair grabbed the attention of the spectators while the staff finished setting up the small stage behind them. The man in red sweater-paws threw his arm around his friend’s shoulder, to the glee of the audience.

 

He stole the microphone subtly. “Sandeulie, that’s my line! Cutie main vocalist Ken! _I_ need to greet them too, you know!”

 

* * *

 

Junghwan less subtly pulled it back to himself to continue the gag. He pouted, saying, “I thought you liked it when I called you a cutie. I’ll be sure to let Jin know about that. He’ll be my new best-friend.”

 

Jaehwan had a joke on his tongue that would be perfect to embarrass Junghwan, but while Jaehwan was openly and unapologetically himself under most circumstances, he had to be a bit careful with words in these public spaces. After all, anything that happened in the café could be a scandal later and Jaehwan couldn’t afford that. _You win this time testicle-friend_.

 

The jab at Jaehwan’s cute image went over well with the audience, perhaps due to the name-dropping of their other same-age friend, Seokjin, and their complete and blissful ignorance of Jaehwan’s more odd (see: juvenile and sometimes crass) sense of humor.

 

“Well, now that my now less favorite friend has arrived like the drama kid he wishes he were, I leave you dearest audience to the tender merc- I mean hilarious and beautiful musical sensibilities of Ken!”

 

Junghwan’s opening resulted in a few more whistles and a round of clapping, sufficiently distracting from his whisper of “good luck” into Jaehwan’s ear when the microphone changed hands.

 

Junghwan safely off stage, Jaehwan decided to open with more of the stand-up before any music. “You would not believe how bad that friend is at leaving the stage. You know how on music shows it takes a bit for the other performers to get off after they announce the winner?” Jaehwan adjusted the microphone stand while speaking. “Yeah, Sandeulie would still be looking for the stage exit after the _winner_ left”

 

“Leave me alone Kennie! It was one time!”

 

Jaehwan hardly spared a glance in the direction of the shouted words off stage, focusing instead on the response of the audience. Facing their expectant looks, he said, “Well, on the bright side, he’s not as bad as Jinnie. Jin fell off the stage once. So far, I have the best track record, and that is _saying something_ ”

 

He eyed the crowd and asked, “Before I really get started, do we have any children in the audience tonight? I try to keep things appropriate for my lovely listeners”

 

Looking around the room with his hand pretending to shield his eyes from the “bright” lights. Jaehwan sighed heavily into the microphone. “Oh dear. This might be a problem then. One moment please”

 

Still smiling at the audience, Jaehwan edged over to the side-curtains and whispered (into the microphone for sufficient projection), “Sandeulie, I’ll need to add a tie to the next set. … A _long_ one. Like,” he looked down at his pants, “a really long one”

 

* * *

Wonshik was not the only person laughing in the audience, though perhaps his voice was the most resonant. Being side-eyed by Hongbin forced Wonshik to shrug helplessly and gesture at his friend’s own laughter at the inappropriate joke.

 

Both turned their attention back to the performer on stage when he asked, “And any musicians in the audience?”

 

Wonshik raised his hand slightly above his head with a handful of others, each just catching the brunet’s gaze. “Wow, how can you afford this place, people? Is the caffeine really worth it? I honestly wouldn’t know, I just eat the scones here, but shhh! Management can never find out”

 

While the disparagement of musicians made Wonshik sigh, the follow up revealed this “Ken’s” game. After all, a musician-slash-comedian would have plenty of material when joking about the many facets of his own life. Wonshik’s hearty laughter made another appearance at Ken's suggestion that they all pitch in for coffee IV lines at 8 a.m. college music classes. (“Spare some of your royalties for those poor sods”)

 

Listening to the man speak, it was obvious to Wonshik that Ken had great control over his voice. Each joke was set up with a very melodic kind of speech, a flowing cadence to every phrase. The imitations Ken was doing didn’t _necessarily_ mean he was a singer, but they still held the kind of details a talented musician would take note of.

 

About 10 minutes of witty one-liners later, Ken, comfortably seated at the piano onstage, spoke to the audience at large, “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to warm up for a bit.” Pivoting from the crowd after setting the microphone down on the piano’s lid, the comedian transitioned to the music, though not in the manner Wonshik expected. _Then again,_ a befuddled Wonshik reconsidered, _the man is certainly proving he has a range of animal noises at his disposal if nothing else._

 

As the giggling died down, and a few disinterested audience members turned back to their phones, Ken began to sing scales…well, rather he _began_ a few scales.

 

“Do re mi fa so _**done**_ _ **with universi**_ _ **Ti Do**_. Ahem. Sorry. Let me try again,” though that time he only got to mi before it devolved (“mimimimimi mimi”) into the infamous (“mimimi only mimi”) and inexplicably popular, (“mimimimimi mimi mimimi sexy mi”) _Mi Mi Mi,_ complete with a shoulder dance and hip wiggles that failed to disturb his simple piano accompaniment and unamplified voice.

 

The man coughed again, this time smacking his chest. “AhehehEM! Sorry. Do. Re. Hoooooooold meeeeeeee tiiiiiiiight~”

 

Shrugging while the laughter continued, Ken angled himself slightly towards the audience to pick up the microphone. Setting it in the microphone stand helpfully directed towards the piano-player, he shook out both hands and scooted the piano bench backwards. “I think that’s enough of a warm-up.”

 

A switch seemed to pull however, as he started to play a beautiful piece on the piano. The fingers were suddenly highlighted by practiced sweeps and patterns flowing like streams and creeks, the two or three rings on this _musician’s_ hands reflecting little shimmers of the stage-lights onto the ceiling. Wonshik could not recognize the melody at all, though the gentle humming into the microphone drew him in more than curiosity about the piece. He saw a few of the women near the stage sigh and sag, as if a great weight from the day was removed or melted away.

 

Wonshik could completely relate.

 

After the applause for the short piece, Ken continued playing mindlessly, trying to angle his head to keep speaking into the microphone while looking into the audience. “I mentioned university, I’m actually studying music there,” he said, head turning this way and that, “Music theory is so _irritating_ though! I get that it’s important, but I’m trying to find places where I can use what I learn in everyday life.”

 

He suddenly stopped his playing and leaned irreverently against the piano keys, several near the middle C letting out pitiful objections. “For example, yesterday I was learning about sonata forms.” Voice taking on a lecturing tone for a moment, Ken recited, “A sonata is made up of three parts, the exposition, the development, and the recapitulation.”

 

Leaning back towards the microphone, Ken quieted his tone furtively, “I only really got it when I learned that there are also three types.” He began to list them proudly, ticking off with his fingers, “A classical sonata, a romantic sonata, and a Honda sonata!”

 

While Wonshik joined the audience in laughter, he was a bit distracted by the incredibly cute mien of the musician as he pouted. _How can he be so cute?_ _The man made a dick joke less than 30 minutes ago._

 

The brunet onstage huffed silently, but spoke again. “I also joined a couple groups at the university; a quartet, a choir, and an anime club. The anime club is a smokescreen for my true obsession, stealing the souls of unsuspecting freshman.” He waited for a moment before continuing, “It doesn’t exactly pay well, but to be honest, when does music ever. Even in respect! You get none of it! The guys in the quartet made fun of me just the other day. They asked me what the definition of a quartet was. I said, ‘What?’ like the innocent soul that I am, and they dared to tell me, ‘three men and a tenor’. And I was like, ‘How dare you offend me like this! I am a fantastic singer and I deserve respect like R-E-S-P-E-C-T!’.”

* * *

Jaehwan had hardly even gotten through his impassioned falsetto before the booming laugh was let out by the cafe window booth again. While the laughter was not alone in the audience, it was noticeable and open; the kind of laughter that could hurt ears in a small space, but was also somehow compelling.

 

So far, the origin of the laugh was finding even the terrible jokes and impressions funny. Even the country dog. Jaehwan couldn’t help but feel like the trio had a compatible sense of humor to his own, as even the other two had fairly ear-catching laughter compared to some in the audience. But the loudest voice was just, very noticeable. In fact, even when the beanie-covered man wasn’t laughing, he kept making a face that Jaehwan could not quantify one way or another. It seemed…oddly fond? Really, all it told him was that this man was easily entertained. Or really liked dogs.

 

“Well,” Jaehwan spoke quickly, “I’ll show them! I’m going to be singing something that only a real man could sing!”

 

“The moon is waxing, let’s goooooooo”

 

Laughter erupted in the room, even from the inattentive audience members near the register. In fact, if he turned his head just so…yup, there was the source of what he heard, a woman who had taken a sip of her beverage had swallowed wrong upon hearing the song. Jaehwan winced. _That’s gotta hurt_.

 

He started the waving arm motions he had practiced before with Seokjin and Junghwan while he sang, and found it hysterical how many people were beginning to follow him. Even a few people started doing it in their laps with napkins.

 

“The moon is waxing, let’s goooooooo!” Jaehwan brought his fingers in contact with the keys once more, nearly bouncing them with the humorous energy of his imitation. But this wasn’t the song he wanted to sing, and he looked out into the audience for a moment with a slight smirk.

 

* * *

 

“Let’s gooooo.” Ken took his hands off the keys for barely a second while the audience laughed, before he transitioned completely from the indie song to....jazz?

 

Wonshik had certainly been finding the Kiha & The Faces snippet humorous for the few lines it was performed, but the switch in genre was completely unanticipated. He furrowed his brows slightly in confusion and then concentration, only to realize what song Ken was playing next. _Clever. Moon of Seoul._ He leaned forward slightly with his elbows on the table as the performer began to sing.

 

No, not sing. Croon.

 

 _This is crooning,_ Wonshik amended. The performer’s voice was obviously warm, but the song itself was being sung like….well, something _more_ than a ballad. Every word that Ken was singing was captured in the tone, the gentleness of the night air in a smooth introduction changing and morphing to the burning in the nose and throat from cigarette smoke and alcohol; a husky and growling distortion. Just a touch.

 

More than just the voice, so too did the piano pick up the emotions of the song, moving from chord to chord and supporting the lonely singer’s lament, which seemed at once expressive and restrained. It was not constrictive to the ear though, the dynamics being played with a delicacy and finesse that instead pulled Wonshik’s breathing and heartbeat more in line with the tempo of the piece.

 

 _I really want to come back,_ Wonshik realized with dismay at the jazzy end chord of the song. _Or steal him for a song_ , he reconsidered, clapping loudly. Whistles and cheers abounded. As Ken stood and bowed deeply, Wonshik realized that his wallet may indeed suffer for this epiphany. _Are scones appropriate bribes?_

 

 

* * *

 

 


	2. Man meets brownie and bear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik is starting to feel as though he is a collection of poor impulse control in the face of cuteness in the shape of a semi-respected hip-hop artist. Which is not great when unintentionally speaking with the friend's of your newest source of inspiration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that Parallel concert, amiright?! :D Which unintentionally fed this fic a bit more, so I'm just super happy right now T-T Do not judge me. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy the chapter, and Wonshik getting his foot stuck in his mouth a few times.
> 
> Seems legit.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Approaching the threshold gingerly, Wonshik was able to make his way through without incident. He was a bit distressed at how automatically proud he felt at not falling into the room like last time.

 

The crowd was more substantial than it had been the day before, much like his faith in gravity. The smallest tables were barricaded by a blockade of occupied chairs, sometimes five to a round table intended to be comfortably intimate for two. The booths were equally packed, with one or two squeaking over the combined weight of the troops of young college students, each squished tight just short of sitting on top of each other. At least they seemed to be having a good time.

 

In fact the whole room seemed to be exuding positive energy despite the cramped situation. The comfortably pervasive chatter from last evening was still there, though to a greater extent. Wonshik spotted a few now familiar faces sitting in their same spots at the front of the room – albeit more condensed – bearing the same eager smiles, phone and cameras at the ready, and excited gesturing to their neighbors.

 

It was all well and good for them, except Wonshik could hardly spot the floor and chairs people were sitting in. Gaps for a latecomer simply didn’t seem to exist. Part of him thought about just standing in the back of the room, but Wonshik felt it would make him even more conspicuous when generally unavoidably visible already, being a six foot, tattooed, accessorized man with dyed hair. He was kind of hard to miss.

 

Just as he seriously considered leaning on some open and unobtrusive patch of wall, a person stood up quickly in his line of sight. Her movements were angry in obvious contrast to the room on the whole, filled with a stringent energy as she pulled her phone out of her bag and looked at her (apparently abandoned) drink in disgust. The three other women at the table seemed embarrassed to be seated near someone making a commotion, and one’s attempt to sink into her seat only intensified when the woman loudly spoke into her phone about the state of her latte.

 

“Never come to this shitty café. There’s literally no seating, staff aren’t prepared for customers who make any kind of change to their drinks, and can’t even get a venti half caf skinny 1 pump white chocolate 3 pump peppermint mocha right. _I_ could be a better barista”

 

Wonshik rubbed at his temples in sympathy for the most certainly embarrassed and agitated staff. _Not a Starbucks, ma’am, and memorizing your own complicated order does not make you qualified to serve anybody, thanks for the un-_

 

“Tch”

 

Already resigned to the view Wonshik expected as soon as he looked back up, the woman was indeed giving him a dirty look as she finally maneuvered ungracefully through the mass of seated people to the entrance. It still somehow surprised Wonshik to hear her final complaint to her call as she turned her back to him, “And they let in a hoodlum too. No class at all. Fuck the Star Café or whatever the hell it is,” her voice still drawing attention to the source of her misplaced ire.

 

_Trip her._ Wonshik was surprised at himself and actively had to think. _No, don’t. **D** **on’t** trip her, don’t think that. Hope that you trip on the lip then, lady._

 

The man, who at one time might have been shocked, tried to shake off the incredibly ignorant and shallow comments of the woman like the raindrops hitting the café windowpanes and instead followed her path in reverse. He edged near-delicately through the crowd, many of whom were still irritated at the woman’s complete disregard for the unwantedness of her negativity and unfortunate height of her satchel; prime for smacking shoulders and the backs of heads. The talking surged again in a crowd buzz.

 

Finally near the vacated space, Wonshik smiled and ducked his own head slightly, tentatively making eye contact with the three remaining women seated. Voice slightly raised out of necessity, he started, “Excuse me ladies, may I take the seat there? The wall was not comfortable, I gotta say,” causing two of them to laugh and smile respectively.

 

The former spoke through her relieved laughter, “Well, Mr. ‘Hoodlum’ I think you’ll be better company.”

 

As he painstakingly squeezed between the last barrier of chairs, he laughed and joked, “Hope you like a peppermint monstrosity, because I don’t like much more than a latte from a Starbucks on a good day, and I’m not prepared for whatever she asked for.”

 

The cat-eyed woman who had been smiling before grimaced, and pushed it lightly towards her darker haired friend. “Think that impoliteness disease is contagious?”

 

Both Wonshik and the brunette friend laughed again, though her follow-up joke was cut off by cheers, whistles, and clapping from the front of the room spreading as a wave through the crowd.

 

“Make some noise~!”

 

Wonshik turned his attention to the lit up “set”. It was odd that despite the front not holding a particularly large stage, he remembered it being much bigger. When Ken started his set, Wonshikrealized that the discrepancy was caused by the performer himself; the charisma shown made the whole space seem to be massive and filled to the brim with the occupant’s aura.

 

_Also_ , Wonshik admitted to himself while laughing, _I may have been distracted by the cutest thing on the planet being……the cutest thing on the planet._

 

Ken was imitating a small lost child, and Wonshik barely registered that Ken was a college student, almost as tall as him, and certainly holding more talent in his eye-smile than Wonshik could ever dream of.

 

No, his thoughts were immediately overrun with a mantra.

 

 

 

_Oh my god, I want to squish him and keep him._

 

* * *

 

“There’s a kid in my general percussion class who is an idiot. I feel bad for saying it even! It’s not his fault, but the teacher decided to hand over two sticks and hope that he could hit the timpani in time at some point. Then he lost one of them! And it’s worse now, ‘cause having one stick made him the conductor!”

 

_Ooo! ~You can be my conductor, the electricity of our love and the motion of our passions~ Hmm._

 

“You know, when I was younger, I was part of my high school choir. It was crazy because we traveled all over Korea, and maybe half of those were for actual competitions. I could never figure it out, but now I realize it was to keep the assassin’s guessing.”

 

_~Havin’ us give up a dream is like being killed by the people of the world that won’t let us die ourselves, but like a copy of a clone of a fucking fake~, yeah, that sounds good too-_

 

“How many kugak artists does it take to change a lightbulb? Really, just one, but the rest of the group stands around and complains about it being electric.”

 

_Good lord, I need to write everything down!_

 

* * *

 

A happy, humorous, inspiring, and time-dilated hour later, the lights came back on to full brightness. Wonshik nearly got up with a decent chunk of the crowd afterKen disappeared behind the side curtains and the appreciative cheers died away. He desperately wanted to mark up his ideas and melodies in his studio before he forgot all of it. Wonshik saw that the two tablemates he spoke withprior to the show remained seated, and he resettled himself. The background chatter around them fell out of focus for a moment as the third, quiet woman got up and left the table with a pleasant good night and nod to himself and the other two occupants.

 

_Huh_ , Wonshik watched her leave in surprise, _didn’t know she liked our company at all_.

 

“So,” Wonshik said suddenly, catching the two remaining women’s attention, “what did you think of the show?”

 

The blonde pursed her lips slightly in thought, though the fact that she mimed stroking a beard gave Wonshik the impression she was making fun of him. Then the brunette spoke. “Oh, this thing? Terrible. Ningning is getting his jokes from Tumblr again.”

 

While Wonshik was gaping slightly (and almost offended despite himself) at the remark, he didn’t have time to question before the shorter of the two stopped and laughed outright.

 

“Neeyeonnie, be fair, at least half of that was his own material!”

 

“The bottom half?”

 

Wonshik only realized that he had actually said that once the two women met his eyes, caught off-guard, before they broke down into hysterics. He immediately stumbled into an apology-slash-explanation about how he wasn’t a pervert, but that his friend made a joke that he remembered about the performer’s inappropriate joke and, “this really isn’t helping me seem not like a pervert. I’m just like everyone else, I swear!”

 

Though the blonde hadn’t stopped laughing and had been reduced to crinkling her eyes and shaking her shoulders in time to her snickers, “Neeyeon” nodded sagely, responding, “Naturally. We’re all dirty-minded here. Hwannie is a perfect addition, if he ever gets his fine ass out from the staff room.”

 

“Awww, Heeyeonnie, are you glorifying my adorable butt to strangers again? I had no idea they were spiking the coffees nowadays.”

 

The brunette threw up a peace sign in the man’s direction. “High on life, baby!”

 

Seeing Ken close up (and thinking _that pout is a weapon of mass destruction oh my God_ ), Wonshik realized that the man looked very young. In fact, despite remembering the many references to university, Wonshik had to wonder if the kid was just starting and not his age at all as he first thought.

 

Their eyes met and Ken’s grin was replaced by a more curious look. Wonshik considered blurting out how much he liked the performance, but was saved from his foot-in-mouth-itis by the woman he still had no name attached to. “Jaehwannie, meet our lovely tablemate. Someone left in a huff before your set and he joined us.”

 

“I think I saw you at my performance yesterday, right?”

 

Wonshik smiled embarrassed, reminded of the disgruntled dismissal before. He gestured to himself, “I’m sure this wasn’t hard to miss,” continuing a bit wryly, “It rarely is.”

 

Ken smiled crookedly again, exclaiming, “I should get a tattoo then! No one could possibly ignore me anymore!”

 

The women groaned and “Heeyeon/Neeyeon” looked at Wonshik with dismay. “In anticipation of his yet-to-be asked question on whether he’ll ‘still look cute with a tattoo’, Byulyi and I are not going to say a word. I leave his question in your hands until he gives up.”

 

She stood up, asking, “You two want anything from the counter? I spy some baked goods that appear abandoned by the masses.”

 

Now-named “Byulyi” declined, and Wonshik didn’t respond until she looked expectantly at him. Caught off guard, he stammered his excuse of being on a diet.

 

Ken began whining once she left for the display case. “Heeyeon is so mean to me, Byulie. I wanted the brownie up there and now someone else is going to get it instead.”

 

Wonshik missed the completely serene – and unmoved – expression on the woman’s face in favor of the more notable pout drawing him in and spiking his “way-too-invested-big-brother-senses”. “I can go up and get it for you?” he offered tentatively.

 

They looked at him, both surprised and slightly mystified.

 

He smiled awkwardly, about to retract the offer, when Ken grabbed his hand with both of his own. Reciting somberly, “Bless you, my friend.” Wonshik realized that he may have bit off more than he could chew. “Can I also have one of their matcha lattes? Oh! Oh! And one of the bags of chips! Oh! Ow!” Ken whined again.

 

“Byulyi” retracted the hand she used to smack him with and began scolding the student, though Wonshik missed the soft knobbly hands that had embraced his own. _Would it be weird to not wash this hand again? Yeah, definitely weird. God, I’m such a weirdo, stahp._ Wonshik considered clearing his throat to deflect attention, but he realized that Ken seemed almost apologetic now at his friend’s chastisement.

 

“You don’t even know the poor man’s _name_ Jaehwan!”

 

“I don’t mind!” Wonshik, desperate to stop the tongue lashing, waved his hands to catch their attention. The woman sighed, but Ke- Jaehwan smiled slightly at him. That smile was going to kill Wonshik. “Really, I don’t mind getting you something. I feel like I should since I missed out on giving you a top- _TIP_. I meant tips. Oh my God, stop me from talking please?”

 

It was awkward, Wonshik could feel it down to his bones and FILA socks. He looked down at the table in subtle defeat, but the other man seemed willing to look past Wonshik’s poor first impression. “Thank you for the offer, but I think I’ll just have to ask you to come back.”

 

Wonshik just opened his mouth in time for the returning female friend and their previously silent tablemate to interrupt. After all, they said with ease, Ken-Jaehwan had been the one to make their plans for an escape room in the first place.

 

So it was a slightly off-guard Wonshik who stood up to bow and bid them goodbye, watching the three wave at him and disappear out the front door. He sat down again in his chair and considered how many songs he might lose if he banged his head on the table too hard. Looking back at the cashier and the display, he realized someone was buying the last brownie, and it gave him an idea.

 

* * *

 

Jaehwan was happy to talk with Heeyeon and Byulyi and hang out ( _“Ningning, when could we do something? You’re so busy,” Jaehwan said over the phone, serious with his worry_ ), but a part of him wished it hadn’t been necessary to cut the conversation short with the man who had been seated across from him. It was unfortunate, but he could tell the taller man had been awkward and Jaehwan wished he could have allayed the other man’s discomfort some. Jaehwan hadn’t even been able to see what the young artist was like without the embarrassment twisting his face.

 

It was a nice face.

 

“Neeyeon, you would think we were interrupting a first date with how much Hwannie is sighing. I didn’t sign up for a pining same-age friend.”

 

“It’s okay Byulie, I think the teddy bear will get a second chance next week. He looked about ready to pop the question from what I could see across the entire room.”

 

Jaehwan tried to put both the teasing and the encounter out of his mind in favor of spending time with two friends he hadn’t seen in more than a month. Of course, he had plenty of ammunition to use against his friends and their own relationships, which were far more established than whatever this meeting might hold.

 

And if the next day of work after their fateful meeting there was a brownie that the staff told him was paid for, Jaehwan couldn’t help but hope the sender would come back next week like Neeyeon suggested.

 

Brownies, after all, are serious business.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Syoooo! :D
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! I still think it's way too hard to write a full stand up routine T-T I should leave it to the professionals.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a number of musical references in here, but I'm also so sorry that the musical humor may not be to everyone's taste lol. I tried to make it applicable, but there's a reason I'm really not the "funny friend" in my friend group >.<
> 
> I got the idea for the piano piece Jaehwan hums to in the first chapter from my own piano improv. I might even record something one day lolol
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Stay happy everyone, and I expect to continue working on this and a couple other works for a while.


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